ST. CLOUD, Minn. St. Cloud State completed a two-game sweep of No. 4 Denver with a 2-1 decision tonight before 5,984 fans at National Hockey Center. Rhett Rakhshani (Huntington Beach, Calif.) returned to the lineup and scored DU’s lone goal as the Pioneers fall to 6-4-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the WCHA.

 

Jase Weslosky stopped 25 shots and Travis Novak and Nicholas Rioux scored for the Huskies, who improved to 7-5, 2-3.

 

“We turned in a much better effort tonight, but it wasn’t enough,” DU head coach George Gwozdecky said. “We had our chances, especially on the power play, but couldn’t convert. Our team learned a valuable lesson about being ready to play each and every time we take the ice.”

 

After a scoreless first period, Rakhshani lit the lamp when he redirected a Tyler Ruegsegger (Lakewood, Colo.) pass through his legs from the low slot at 2:16 of the second period. The Huskies quickly tied it at 5:19 on a rebound goal by Travis Novak.

 

Rioux tallied the game-winning goal at 1:48 of the third period. The Pioneers had several attempts to tie the score at 2-2, especially when Ruegsegger hit the  cross bar on a late power-play. DU was whistled for a crucial too many men on the ice penalty with three minutes left and pulled Marc Cheverie (24 saves) with 46 seconds left, but couldn’t tally the equalizer with an extra skater.

 

Shots on goal were equal at 26 and each team went 0-for-7 on the power play.

 

DU hosts WCHA rival Minnesota in a two-game series at Magness Arena on Nov. 21-22. Both games will be televised live on FSN Rocky Mountain.

 

Notes: DU captain J.P. Testwuide (Vail, Colo.) returned to the lineup after missing three games with a groin injury. Rakhshani has 5-38 in seven career games against St. Cloud State. DU tallied just three goals in the series and is 1-3 against unranked teams.